4-Minute Rest Reclamation
Time needed: 4 minutes (90-90-120 seconds)
Setting: When rest feels selfish or unproductive
Purpose: Reframing rest as necessary and valuable
Rest Permission (90 seconds)
What: Place hand on chest and state aloud or internally:
- “Rest is how I sustain myself”
- “My body and mind require restoration”
- “Productive people rest intentionally”
- “I rest so I can show up fully”
Feel the truth of these statements in your body.
Notice: Any resistance to rest beliefs, where permission feels foreign, how rest reframing affects your breathing
Why: Challenges rest guilt, establishes rest as requirement not luxury, builds sustainable mindset
Energy Truth Check (90 seconds)
What: Honestly assess your current state:
- What happens when you push through tiredness?
- How does your work quality change when exhausted?
- What breaks down when you don’t rest?
- Who benefits when you’re well-rested?
Acknowledge the real cost of avoiding rest.
Notice: Where pushing through becomes counterproductive, impact on others when you’re depleted, evidence that rest improves performance
Why: Builds logical case for rest, connects rest to effectiveness, reduces martyrdom patterns
Essential Rest Planning (120 seconds)
What: Identify your non-negotiable rest needs:
- Minimum sleep required to function well
- Daily micro-rest moments that restore you
- Weekly rest time that prevents burnout
- What you’ll say no to in order to rest
Treat these as essential appointments with yourself.
Notice: What constitutes adequate rest for you, which rest practices feel most restorative, any fear about protecting rest time
Why: Makes rest concrete and specific, builds rest advocacy skills, creates rest accountability
Closing: Repeat “Rest is essential, not optional”
Notice: How this statement feels different now
Why: Reinforces new rest paradigm
Tips:
- Schedule rest like important meetings
- Communicate rest boundaries clearly
- Model healthy rest for others
- Track how rest improves your capacity
- Remember rest is productive